Tag Archives: Sabah

Kota Kinabalu: Upko’s Citizenship and Security Bureau has handed over 36 longstanding citizenship applications to the National Registration Department (NRD) in Sabah for a speedy solution.

The cases were handed over by the Bureau chief, Donald Mojuntin, during a courtesy call on the NRD Sabah Director, Haji Abdul Jaffear Henry, at the Federal Administrative Complex here.

Apart from discussing matters directly pertaining to citizenship, other related issues were raised like the issue of the Sabah Native Certificate and “Surat Berian” Wedding Status which falls under the State Native Court.

The use of the terms “Native” and “Sino-Native” in national identification documents were also queried as Upko is of the opinion that “Native” is not a specific race but just a categorical or a generic term used to describe a group of indigenous people.

“Furthermore the usage of the term is not legally accepted by the State of Sabah as it has not gone through the necessary stages to make it so. The matter should first be vetted by the State Attorney General’s office.

“When that is done, it will then have to be endorsed by the State Cabinet.

Finally it will have to pass through the State Assembly. Then and only then can it be accepted as a legal term that can be used in documents as important as our personal identifications. Otherwise it will and does create, for instance, NT land inheritance problems,” he said.

Mojuntin who is also Assistant Finance Minister and Moyog State Assemblyman and his delegation was also briefed by Jaffear on the department’s vision, mission, operation, past and up-coming programmes.

Mojuntin said the purpose of the visit was to deliberate on certain issues related to citizenship and also to enhance ties with NRD.

“As one of the main objectives of the Bureau is to ensure only genuine Sabahans or those legally qualified for it are bestowed citizenship, it is only appropriate to build and foster a strong and practical working relationship with the NRD,” he said.

He added that the visit was also auspicious as it comes right after the Prime Minister’s announcement of his 11 people-friendly measures which include improvements to the process of registering births in Sabah and Sarawak, on the occasion of his 100th day in office.

According to Mojuntin, the bureau had been receiving numerous grievances and complaints related to citizenship.

“These problems stem from non and late registrations of births, being born outside Sabah before Malaysia Day, marriages with foreigners and a myriad of other situations.

“This issue of citizenship, especially in Sabah, is one of the few fundamental problems that need to be sorted out for the Prime Minister’s 1Malaysia concept to be achieved, he said.

“We must remember that most of these relevant applicants have family members who are citizens. If their respective problem is not dealt with efficiently, it will not only disillusion the applicants themselves but their family members and friends will also lose confidence in the government’s delivery system and perhaps, the integrity of the government. It would be like a negative pyramid effect.”

Jaffear commended the effort of the Upko Bureau and welcomed any helping hand to assist the NRD, especially from elected representatives whether State or Parliament.

“The NRD is open to all constructive suggestions from any party as this will improve our department’s efficiency,” he said.

A woman was stripped naked behind some bushes by a man posing as an enforcement officer but escaped being raped when the man fled after hearing sounds of people nearby.

The man had abducted the 28-year-old woman and her sister from their car outside a supermarket on Sunday night.

The sisters had parked outside the supermarket when the man, identifying himself as an enforcement officer, suddenly got into the car and directed the woman to drive to a secluded area in Jalan Cecily here.

He then fondled and molested her and assaulted her when she tried to put up a struggle .

He dragged her out of the car towards some bushes and stripped her while the terrified sister was warned not to make any sound.

KOTA KINABALU: A Sabah-based Barisan Nasional component party will launch five divisions in Perak today. The United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun and Murut Organisation (Upko) is spreading it wings to help provide a voice for the Orang Asli community there.

Upko president and Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok is expected to launch the five pro-tem divisions in Tapah, where he is attending the Perak Orang Asli Land Development Convention.

Upko supreme council member Albert Bingkasan said yesterday the Orang Asli of the Semai group had expressed their interests in joining the party for the past two years.

“The community wanted a vehicle in the country’s political mainstream and it appears they are attracted to our struggles in the party, which is focused on the indigenous communities.

“Many of them being Christians and indigenous also find it hard to expand, politically, with other BN parties which have different priorities for the communities they represent,” Bingkasan said.

Under Upko’s Constitution, membership is open to all Malaysians who subscribe to the party’s struggles, he added.

The party opened a division in Shah Alam, Selangor, two years ago where most of its members are from Sabah.

Upko, which has 44 divisions, is merging the divisions into 25 in line with the number of parliamentary seats in the state.

Indigenous Peoples Network of Malaysia president Adrian Lasimbang said estabishment of the branches would be a positive political development for the Orang Asli community.

“Presently in Parliament, the Orang Asli has only one representative, Senator Osman Bujang. They also do not have any political party to represent them.”

Lasimbang said in Peninsular Malaysia, there were more than 100,000 Orang Asli people from 18 groups, with the majority being the Semai community.